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Sermon Outline Prepared by Dr. Joseph P. Metoyer, Jr., Pastor/Teacher December 30, 2001 Text: Romans 8: 23-25, 28-30 Subject: Our
Future Is Guaranteed! Introduction: “There are only two possible distinctions in eternity – heaven or hell – and God created them both. Those who are headed for heaven by faith in Jesus Christ have hope; the rest have no hope and will experience the eternal hopelessness of hell. Perhaps one of the greatest torments of hell is the knowledge that the pain will never cease. Such is the epitome of hopelessness.” (John F. MacArthur, The Pillars of Christian Character, p.168). I. Hope Makes Us Persevere (Vv. 23-25) Hope is an essential part of
the Gospel. Paul preached the
Gospel so that those chosen of God could believe and be saved. That’s the past aspect – our justification.
Those whom god chooses hear the Gospel, believe, and therefore are
justified by Him. The present
aspect of the Gospel is “the knowledge of truth which is according to
godliness.” That’s our
sanctification. The future aspect
is “the hope of eternal life,” which is our glorification.
In the past we were saved from the penalty of sin – we will not be condemned. We won’t bear the consequences for our sins because God imputed the righteousness of Christ to us the moment we believed. Christ bore all our iniquity in His own body on the cross. In the present we are being saved from the power of sin as the Holy Spirit and the truth of the Scriptures give us victory over sin. And we will be saved from the presence of sin when sometime in the future we go to heaven. Without the promise of future glory the Gospel would be an empty promise instead of a secure fact (ibid. 169, 170). A.
(Vv. 23-25) We also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the
redemption of our body. For in hope
we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also
hope for what he sees? But if we
hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it… B.
(Vv. 28-30) And we
know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the
image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom
He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also
justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Make no mistake about it our hope is glory!
C.
Because our hope is glory we can preserver.
The Christian should
want to experience the redemption of our bodies and finally be rid of the sinful
battle in our flesh. Since God
made the effort to justify us, we can be sure He will also glorify us because
that’s His plan. When Paul
says in (v.23) “we have the first-fruits of the Spirit” please
understand that this is not something Christians give to God but Christians
already have this “First-fruits of the Spirit” given to us by God. The idea is conveyed is that of the gift of a part as a
pledge of the fuller gift at a later time.
What we Christians have already received is a foretaste and a guarantee
of what we still have to hope for. (II
Cor. 5:5-6)… Our Future Is
Guaranteed! II.
Hope Produces Joy Paul uses (v. 24) to explain (v.23).
The Greek word used in (v.24) “Hope” contains no uncertainty – it
speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized.
The believers ultimate destiny is to share in the very glory of God
(Romans 5:2b) “rejoice in the glory of God”.
Why should the believer rejoice in the glory of God? A. Knowing that our future is guaranteed we can make it, no matter what. (8:28-30)… 1. It does not matter how you are tempted by Satan or any of his imps or demons because the Christian’s hope is a defense against Satan’s attacks. Satan attacks our minds with doubt but we wear the helmet that is the hope of our salvation (I Thess. 5:8)… 2. Our hope is strengthened through trials. The more you experience trials the more you have opportunity to exercise your hope. (James 1:4, 12) But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Application:
The Word says, “Blessed” or happy “is the man who endures
temptation; for when he has been ‘approved’, [accepted in glory] he will
receive a crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him”.
While your future is guaranteed, let me ask you, do you love the Lord?
He said that all things would work together for good to those who loved
Him. Do you love Him? Hope is not fulfilled right after you die. But death simply gets our spirits to heaven – our bodies have yet to be raised. They await the rapture of the Church. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord (I Thess. 4:16-17). When we get our glorified bodies that’s when our hope becomes reality. Somebody said: “God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus, He came to love,
heal, and forgive; He lived and
died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. Because He lives I can face tomorrow, Because
He lives all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future.
And life is worth the living just because He lives.” Edward Mote wrote: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and
righteousness; I dare not trust the
sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid Rock, I stand: All other ground is sinking sand.”
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